The Arab American News
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Historic UC Irvine divestment vote deals stinging defeat to Zionist bullying on campus
Just over a year since an Orange County jury, in a politically-motivated prosecution, convicted the "Irvine 11" students for disrupting a lecture by Israeli Ambassdor Michael Oren, the Associated Students of UC Irvine voted unanimously earlier this week to call for divestment from companies that profit from Israeli occupation.The vote...Arab Americans and law enforcement: Rights at risk
I testified before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights this week on the relations between law enforcement agencies and the Arab American and Muslim American communities. This provided an opportunity to lay out the problems that exist and an agenda that would allow us to move forward.In a democratic society based on constitutionally...Syrian conflict ‘approaching decisive stage’?
The newly unified Syrian opposition is insisting that it should be the sole conduit for channeling logistical and financial assistance to the in-country rebels. The credibility of the Syrian National Coalition for Opposition and Revolutionary Forces will hinge on it securing "the buy-in of as many Syrian stakeholders as possible, as well...Israel may cancel Oslo if Palestinian UN bid succeeds
Israel may cancel the Oslo Accords if the November 29 Palestinian bid for non-member statehood at the United Nations succeeds, Israeli daily Ha'aretz reported Wednesday.The foreign ministry reportedly sent a cable Sunday to Israeli diplomats instructing them to "do all possible to halt the Palestinian initiative because of its...Demonstrators call for ‘regime change’ in rare protests against Jordan’s king
AMMAN - Overnight demonstrations over fuel price hikes in Jordan may have spiraled into a nation-wide revolt against the country's regime Wednesday, according to various activist sources.Rioting broke out in several cities and various key routes were reported to have been blocked by protesters, after Jordanian prime minister Abdullah...Israel ranked world’s most militarized nation
WASHINGTON (IPS) — Israel tops the list of the world’s most militarized nations, according to the latest Global Militarization Index released Tuesday by the Bonn International Centre for Conversion (BICC).At number 34, Israel’s main regional rival, Iran, is far behind. Indeed, every other Near Eastern country, with the exceptions...
Gaza trembles, Arab world simmers as Israel prepares for ground assault
November 17th, 20120 An Israeli ground operation against the beleaguered Gaza Strip seemed imminent on Thursday as forces moved toward the border area according to the Associated Press. Trucks were seen moving tanks and armored personnel carriers according to the report which buses carrying soldiers also arrived. On the social media site Twitter, several...
Who started it? Bloodbath in Gaza
November 17th, 20120 A New York Times article, published November 14th, reports on the death of Hamas military commander Ahmed Jabari, killed by one of Israel’s recent airstrikes. "Gaza truce broken as Israeli raid kills six Hamas gunmen," published in the Guardian and written by Rory McCarthy, in which an Israeli official is quoted bragging about a...
MSU Board of Trustee Brian Mosallam scores landmark win for Arab Americans
November 16th, 20120 DEARBORN — Brian Mosallam set a new precedent last week when he was elected by over 1.9 million Michigan residents on the Michigan State University (MSU) Board of Trustees, becoming the first Arab American Muslim to win a statewide election on a Democratic slate. The position couldn't seem more fitting for Mosallam, who was previously...
Paralyzed Arab American put on ‘No Fly List’ without explanation
November 16th, 20120 DEARBORN — The law firm of Ayad and Associates has brought a federal lawsuit against the FBI, U.S. Department of Justice and the Terrorist Screening Center in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on behalf of an Arab American who’s a U.S. citizen, and being denied access to leave the country by...
Election results by the numbers: Winners and Losers
November 12th, 20120 The Arab American News (TAAN) endorsed several candidates for the Nov. 6 general election. Below are the results for the following selected races. The percentage of votes each candidate earned is listed, and the names of the winners endorsed by TAAN are highlighted in red. Winners that aren’t endorsed by TAAN are highlighted in...
Blackburn, Lane re-elected despite puzzling endorsements for Petlichkoff
November 12th, 20120 Even though former Dearborn School Board member Mary Petlichkoff had the endorsement of Dearborn Mayor Jack O'Reilly, five Dearborn City Council Members, the current State Rep. and a former State Rep, she failed to win a seat on the School Board, and was defeated by a wide margin. When all votes were tallied, Aimee Blackburn came...
Salamey’s well-executed campaign yields upset victory, a major milestone for local Arab Americans
November 12th, 20120 DEARBORN — The elections of 2012 have become a landmark for the city of Dearborn, as Sam Salamey has officially been elected as the 19th District Court Judge, beating incumbent Richard Wygonik by over 4,000 votes. The victory means that Salamey is now the first ever Arab American judge in Dearborn, where he will be serving on the bench...
Arab Americans come out to vote in droves; Breakdown of votes in key Dearborn races
November 12th, 20120 DEARBORN/DEARBORN HEIGHTS — The presence of Arab Americans at voting precincts in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights on election day was overwhelming, and spoke volumes about the power and influence of the Arab vote, particularly in local races where the fate of many candidates often rests in the hands of Arab Americans. According to...Halal food served to detainees at Calhoun County Correctional Center
Thanks in large part to the Council on American Islamic Relations-Michigan, detainees at the Calhoun County Correctional Center in Battle Creek, who face deportation, now have the option of being served halal meat. The Center is currently the largest detention facility in Michigan for people facing potential deportation.This news......
Shortage of translators, mechanical problems plague local polls
November 10th, 20120 DEARBORN — Election day in Dearborn did bring out a large number of Arab Americans to local precincts, but along with it came several issues that many voters feel need to be addressed. At the Salina Elementary School precinct in the south end...It was the demography, stupid
WASHINGTON (IPS) - Twenty years ago, Democratic pol James Carville immortalized the phrase “It’s the economy, stupid” in explaining how former Arkansas governor Bill Clinton would unseat President George H. W. Bush, who was riding high off his smashing military victory in the first Gulf War.Now, 20 years later, pros in both parties......
Election 2012: Accomplishments we can build on
November 9th, 20120 There's no such thing as a perfect Election Night, but for the Arab American community in Dearborn, this past Tuesday's results, and the historic turnout in our community that made them possible, constituted something pretty close. First off, give yourselves a big hand. Despite the ongoing logistical challenges many in our...Islamophobic candidates are big losers in 2012 election
Several candidates for Congressional elections known for making anti-Islam statements were defeated during this week's election, much to the delight of American Muslims and tolerant U.S. residents in general who have grown tired of the unwelcoming climate. "These encouraging results clearly show that mainstream Americans reject...U.S. voters punish Republicans for “reckless obstruction”
WASHINGTON - Despite a bitterly and closely fought presidential campaign fueled by record financial backing, analysts sifting through Tuesday’s national election results here are forecasting a period of introspection for the opposition Republican Party that could ease the gridlock that has gummed up Washington politics in recent...Bolder Obama on Middle East, climate in second term?
WASHINGTON - With President Barack Obama winning re-election, foreign policy analysts here are pondering whether his victory will translate into major changes from the rather cautious approach he followed overseas in his first term.For now, speculation is focused primarily on the Middle East, the region that has dominated the......
Chaldean community takes great pride in new state representative’s victory
November 9th, 20120 WEST BLOOMFIELD - New state representative for Michigan’s 39th House District, Klint Kesto, made history Tuesday when he became the first Chaldean American elected to serve on the state legislature. Kesto’s district represents all of Commerce Township, Wixom, the Western half of West Bloomfield Township and Wolverine...
Election results mostly bright for AAPAC-endorsed candidates
November 9th, 20120 DEARBORN/DEARBORN HEIGHTS —A major focus during this year’s election was the race for school board in both Dearborn and Dearborn Heights. With 12,000 Arab American students at Dearborn Public Schools out of 18,000, and more than half of the student body at the Crestwood School District being Arab American as well, AAPAC, along with......
What will Obama’s second term hold for foreign policy?
After a campaign and election in which, at least as much as in most other election years, foreign policy took a back seat to domestic concerns, we — and the newly re-elected president — should take stock of the foreign policy significance of the electoral decision the American people just made. Possibly the most significant...
Blackburn, Lane re-elected despite puzzling endorsements for Petlichkoff
November 9th, 20120 Even though former Dearborn School Board member Mary Petlichkoff had the endorsement of Dearborn Mayor Jack O'Reilly, five Dearborn City Council Members, the current State Rep. and a former State Rep, she failed to win a seat on the School Board, and was defeated by a wide margin. When all votes were tallied, Aimee Blackburn came......
